Bedbugs have invaded a Massachusetts apartment block, triggering a lockdown of certain parts of the building.
The bugs were found at Walter Salvo House in Northampton—which is managed by the Northampton Housing Authority—in the middle of September, MassLive reported. The city is situated in the center of the state around 100 miles west of Boston.
Jo Ella "Jada" Tarbutton-Springfield has suffered multiple bites from the pests over recent weeks. She told MassLive that she had found and killed 70 insects.
"You could just see them walking like lobsters coming out of the ocean, you know what I mean? And I'd kill those suckers," Tarbutton-Springfield told local TV station WWLP.
She has quarantined her room out of fear of the bugs spreading, but it seems she is not the only resident to be suffering from the pests.
"I had a bedbug that was in my ear, it was dead, I mean it's gross," Walter Salvo House resident Heidi Sousse, told WWLP. "I looked up bedbugs on Google and I pulled up a picture and I was like, 'ah dang it, I think it's one of those.'"
Bedbugs are small insects that live in furniture or bedding. They cause little harm to humans other than bites that can cause a rash and itchiness—however they can be extremely difficult to get rid of and cause mental health problems for those who have them.
The housing authority has already started to tackle the issue. An exterminator using specialized sniffer dogs has been at the property to test all areas of the building.
Heat treatments to eradicate the pests have been carried out in certain areas of the building, however residents are still noticing the insects.
Although professionals have treated certain areas, there are certain procedures that must be carried out by residents to keep the problem at bay.
Executive director at the housing authority, Cara Leiper, told WWLP that the problem persists because some residents are not initiating these measures.
"There's a heat treatment client preparation checklist, their apartment number and the date of their treatment is written on it. It gives them a detailed list of what they need to do," Leiper told the news outlet.
Bedbugs usually hide in mattresses, bed frames and furniture, but they can also be found lurking under picture frames or loose wallpaper.
There are several signs to watch out for, including bites—usually the first thing people notice—which usually appear on skin that is exposed during sleeping, such as the face or arms, according to a health website.
Spots of blood on bedding, as well as small brown spots (bedbug feces) are additional signs, other than the sight of the insects themselves.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about bedbugs? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
